Repeat 6th Class

eeinke

Hi, does anyone have experience of repeating their child in 6th class, especially when you feel they are not ready for secondary school?
any guidance/tips would be appreciated.
Thank you

Bitches Be Trypsin

Generally, I wouldn't encourage it unless they are academically struggling. They'll be ready for secondary school when they are forced to be ready, the day they begin.

eeinke

What if they are an average student academically but have been bullied before in school - on the sensitive, kind, soft, unassertive side.

They are young too.

So the idea would be to give them an extra year to build confidence and assertiveness so if bullying happens in secondary school they will be able to handle it?

Taltos

Kids pick on differences and by holding your child back another year you are creating a perfect weak point for them to jump all over for the rest of your child’s years in secondary school, so instead of removing the bullying and helping you might be actually making things a lot worse.
It might be better to talk to a professional to get advice on how to help your child but either way talk to both the primary and seconday schools, if you have valid concerns with examples I’d be holding the principle to task for failing in their due care of their student...

Is the secondary principle can’t allay your fears then I’d rather consider a different school altogether than labeling your child as someone who was held back in 6th class except as a last and I really mean last resort.

byhookorbycrook

The DES does not allow children to repeat, just because they are young. There is also a lot of research to show that "grade retention" can cause a lot of anxiety and impact heavily on the child's self esteem.

Redser87

Generally what would be recommended is more exposure to peers through clubs, sport etc. Could you explore drama or a choir? Or a crafts club? It doesn't necessarily have to be sports... life saving maybe?

painauchocolat

byhookorbycrook is right - DES is very much against repetition of years. Lots of secondary schools do induction programmes over the course of the summer before the enter first year. This gives the kids a chance to meet some of their year group, maybe senior students who'll be working as mentors, some of the teaching staff, and get a bit of familiarity with the school layout. If your prospective school offers this it might go a long way to helping the child settle.

If you're determined to delay a year, you could see if Ring Irish college in Waterford still offers a residential primary school year. When I was a kid, some people would do a year in ring after 6th class to bring on their Irish before secondary. Admittedly, spending a year away from home might seem much more drastic than just going straight in to secondary, but it could be the making of him/her?

appledrop

Repeats are not really encouraged anymore. Years ago they were popular but things have moved on. Secondary is a big step for all children. As other poster said as part of move school will have a settle in period etc. Another important thing is choice of school. A smaller school maybe better for you child if possible + one that some friends are going to.

CramCycle

eeinke wrote: »

What if they are an average student academically but have been bullied before in school - on the sensitive, kind, soft, unassertive side.

They are young too.

So the idea would be to give them an extra year to build confidence and assertiveness so if bullying happens in secondary school they will be able to handle it?

Holding them back will paint a target on them to bullies for a variety of reasons, as well as open a whole new class of potential bullies who are younger and therefore maybe more damaging to the childs ego.

I was held back in national school as my mother felt i was too young, it opened up a world of bullying, and i hadn't been bullied (more than the norm in the 80s). It was horrendously damaging to me and something i only got away from in college. I still wonder how much better my youth would have been if I had went on with everyone else, the majority of my childhood friends are the ones who went on without me.

Getting the child involved in more social outlets with peers is a great idea, terrible as it is, groups like that tend to protect their own. If it wasn't for the GAA (and I was rubbish), I doubt we would be talking today. It doesn't have to be GAA but anything where they mix with peers, even people their age from other schools.

If it is something that you think, they are not going to get out of when in secondary school (and kids change their, they may find a group to slot into), the last resort is to go for a different school if affordable or practical but in many cases, just going ahead into where they would have typically went, may work out fine.

Secondary school was easier than national school for me after being held back, the effects of it where less damaging, but being held back in NS is just about the worst choice I can think a parent can make, there is TY and repeating the leaving if they are not ready for the big bad world, a few friends even took a year out with no ill effect.

appledrop

If you think they are too young they have the option of T.Y or repeat Leaving Cert. As other poster said because it really doesn't happen now that students repeat in primary you will be drawing more attention to them. Just let them go. Some children take a while to settle in secondary but all get there.

eeinke

Thank you all so much for all your valid advice.....definitely food for thought